


In Enemy Territory

by SecondaryWorks



Series: The Enemy Series [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Definitely got some in there though, F/M, Gen, Not completely Reyux, might have to wait a little while but we shall see, sequel to Do You Know Your Enemy?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-07-24 14:31:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16177010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondaryWorks/pseuds/SecondaryWorks
Summary: Sequel to 'Do You Know Your Enemy?' Rey is now on the side of the First Order, but is she loyal to Hux, Snoke, Kylo Ren, or no one but herself? Hux wants to believe she is still on his side, but after being separated, only time will tell if their plan to take over the First Order will ever come to fruition.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! So this is the sequel to 'Do You Know Your Enemy?'. It's not essential that you've read that, but I would recommend it as there are definitely some things that will be confusing for people that have only read this fic. There will be more Reyux in this fic, but it will be different from my previous Reyux story 'What We're Like When We're Alone'. Finally, updates might be few and far between for a little while, just until the current university semester finishes. After that, they should be a little quicker.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The streaking lights from hyperspace were reflected beautifully in Rey’s glossy gaze. Hux found himself becoming lost in them as his eyes wandered over to his travelling companion. They had little time left before they reached his Finalizer, and Hux was unsure what would await them once they did. He felt the uncertainty turning his stomach, and he forced his anxieties down. As much as he wanted to believe that he would be praised for his ability to bring Rey into the fold, Hux knew better. Snoke would barely glance at him, and Ren would rather die than give Hux even the smallest compliment. No, Hux mused, it was more than likely he and Rey would be ripped apart the moment they exited this small fighter.

Pulling himself back into the present, Hux tried to centre himself and focus on taking advantage of the small time he had left to be alone with Rey. They had spent most of the trip in relative silence, both overcome with relief and fear in equal measure. Now that they were working together, it was suddenly dawning on them what that actually meant. Hux hadn’t had to watch out for someone other than himself in a long time. In fact, now that he truly thought about it, Hux realised he hadn’t looked after anyone, or been looked after by someone, almost his entire life. This was entirely new territory for him, and it shook the General to his very core. He wasn’t even sure what it meant, but as he glanced over at Rey once again, it seemed to make sense in an odd way.

They were both outsiders. They both had trust issues. They had both been betrayed, and had fought and clawed their way through extremely hard times. Ultimately, it was their shared goal that united them, but it was their similar character that would keep them together. Or at least, Hux hoped it would. Having Rey turn on him and become the second of Snoke’s Force-using lackeys would be incredibly unfortunate, and would crush any hope Hux had of defeating the tyrant once and for all. Fortunately for him, however, he knew how strong Rey was. She would withstand anything the old man threw at her. Hux only hoped she would be able to play the part of his willing Apprentice convincingly, and for long enough to allow them the time they needed to form and execute a proper plan.

“Credit for your thoughts?”

Rey’s voice jolted Hux out of his musings. The former scavenger was smirking at him from across the ship. Hux cleared his throat and tore his eyes away from her, slightly embarrassed at being caught staring. 

“It’s nothing.” Hux muttered. He didn’t want to offer any more, but Rey wouldn’t let him off that easy it seemed.

“Armitage.” Rey’s voice was soft, and Hux found his gaze being drawn unwillingly back to her. “Talk to me.”

Sighing, Hux double checked that the Auto-Pilot controls were engaged, before moving to join Rey on the small window seat. Rey shuffled to accommodate him, and Hux gracefully sat beside her. He took a moment to gaze out at the stars barreling past, and was reminded of the time ticking away faster than he could comprehend.

“I used to hate travelling at light speed.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Hux could see Rey’s expression twist into one of confusion.

“Why?”

“Because as much as everyone told me we were moving at the quickest possible speed, everyone and everything seemed to slow down as soon as the lights began to streak across the viewports. I wanted nothing more than to simply arrive at the next destination. I used to pace endlessly, willing the ship to move faster.”

“You should have looked into teleportation.” Rey poked, and Hux let out a bark of laughter.

“I definitely remember thinking about it once or twice. But then, as I got older, the strangest thing happened.” Hux moved his gaze from the viewport to the young woman next to him. For some reason, her smile seemed to shine brighter than the stars outside. The corners of his own mouth lifted slightly in response as he continued. “I found myself enjoying those quiet moments. The moments when my life, my work, would just slow. It never stopped, of course, but for the first time it felt like I could breathe.” Hux paused, and shook his head. “That doesn’t make much sense, does it?”

“Yes Armitage,” Rey laughed softly as she reached out and brushed her hand against his. “It does.”

Hux felt his heart jump as their hands touched once again. It had taken him completely by surprise when she had done it in the cantina. No one had ever touched his skin in such a pure, friendly way, and it calmed him more than he could fathom. However, as much as he wanted to grasp her hand, and prolong their contact, Hux knew he had to stop indulging both of them before they reached his Finalizer.

He moved his hand a decent distance from Rey’s, and tried desperately not to wince at her small sigh of disappointment. Hux glanced up at Rey, only to find her once again looking out of the viewport. 

“I’m sorry, my dear.” The sincerity in Hux’s voice evidently caught Rey’s attention, as she turned her gaze back towards him. Hux felt a sharp sting at the hurt he could see in the young woman’s eyes. He pressed forward in a feeble attempt to explain himself. “Snoke sees connection as weakness, and compassion as an illness. If we were to even stand near each other for a moment too long, the old fool would call it as a betrayal. We’re going to have to be extremely careful if we’re going to succeed.”

Rey frowned throughout his explanation, and Hux could see the wheels in her brain turning as she processed what he was saying. After a few moments, a pained expression overlook her.

“You say that as if we’re not going to be separated immediately.” Rey’s voice was quiet, and yet Hux could tell she was still slightly hopeful that he would correct her. That he would calm her nerves, and tell her that no, they would remain together no matter what. But as Hux stared at her, he found that he couldn’t do so. He wasn’t going to lie simply to quell her worries, particularly when the lie would be exposed so soon. No, he thought, he had to tell her the truth. 

“You’re right.” Hux sighed as he saw Rey’s expression drop even more as her eyes fell to her lap. “From my experience, I believe Snoke and Ren will take you away to some far off world for training and mental manipulation.”

“Wow, thanks for softening it for me.” Rey’s tone was dripping with sarcasm, and Hux almost cracked a smile at it. Almost.

“I’m serious Rey. Look at me.” At Hux’s request, Rey’s eyes snapped to his. She seemed almost angry at this, and Hux could tell she was about a second away for tearing his head off for barking an order at her. Again, Hux had to stop himself from smiling. The young woman was growing on him more and more, which was only going to lead into pain and isolation. He had to be serious, for both of them. “Snoke already suspects I’ve gone soft because of you. He’s going to want to verify that you’ve joined him and the First Order, and not just me. You’ve got to prepare yourself for a long, arduous journey of playing a part and proving yourself, again and again. If you can’t, then we shall lose this war before it’s even begun. Do you understand?”

Rey stared blankly at him, the fire draining quickly from her eyes. It was replaced by panic, then by confusion, before finally settling on determination, for which Hux was grateful. He watched as Rey internally accepted the task set before her, and began steeling herself for what lay ahead.

“I can handle whatever that slime ball throws at me.” Rey said. A large grin spread across her face as she continued. “In fact, I think you’ll struggle more than me.”

Hux had to force the smile from his face and maintain his composure as he replied. “Whatever do you mean, my dear?”

“Well in a few short months, you’ll have a third superior giving you orders.” Rey’s eyes were sparkling as she verbally poked at him. Despite everything he had said before about steeling themselves, Hux couldn’t stop himself from smirking and playing along. If this was to be the last moments that they were allowed to be alone together for a long time, then he would be a fool to waste it being stern and serious in the face of such pure joy.

“Since when was giving Captain Phasma a promotion part of our plan?” 

Rey’s grin slipped for a second, before understanding blossomed on her features. “You nerf herder! I meant me!”

Hux laughed as Rey shoved him playfully. “My most sincere apologies, Lady Rey.” Hux replied in a not-at-all-sincere tone. 

Rey began to laugh as well. “Lady Rey? I’ve never heard anything more horrific.”

“You’re going to have to get used it, Lady Rey.” Hux dodged Rey’s attempt to shove him again. “We can’t all have intimidating titles such as mine, after all.”

“What, General?” Rey pretended to scoff. “Not exactly fear-inducing, Armitage.”

Hux held a hand over his heart in mock pain. “I worked hard for this title, little minx.”

Rey paused, mid-shoving attempt. “Little minx?”

Hux kicked himself. Why had he said that? And more importantly, how had he not even noticed himself saying such an endearing term? If he really thought about it, he and Rey barely knew each other. They had shared small details of their lives and respective pasts when he had been locked up in the Resistance base all those months ago, but they weren’t exactly friends, and they certainly weren’t at a level where the use of a nickname, especially one so intimate, was appropriate. Shaking his head slightly, Hux immediately backtracked.

“I’m sorry, Rey. I shouldn’t have called you that.” Hux was surprised to feel his cheeks heat up. Was he really that embarrassed by calling Rey ‘little minx’? He was the man who created Starkiller base. The man who ordered the simultaneous annihilation of five whole planets. And yet, here he was, alone on an unmarked fighter save for the young woman in front of him, feeling embarrassed at a minor verbal slip. Perhaps it would be a good thing when they were separated. At the very least, it would force him to get some perspective on the situation, and remind him of the reason he had recruited Rey in the first place.

Luckily, Hux was saved from his musings by the woman in question. “That’s Lady Rey to you.”

Hux glanced up at Rey to see the corners of her lips turned upwards, despite her clear effort to maintain a neutral face.

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know any thoughts about this first chapter, good or bad! And I sincerely hope you're having a marvellous day, all my love xo


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A change in perspective as we catch up with a few characters we haven't seen in quite some time ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A change in POV! Let's see what the Resistance has been up to.

“What could be so important for Leia to call us back early?” Finn questioned, glancing at his companion. He took in Poe’s grim expression as the man maneuvered their small fighter through Kashyyyk’s atmosphere. 

“Whatever it is, it’s something she couldn’t risk sending a transmission about.” Poe’s tone told Finn more than his words. He could tell Poe was worried, but was attempting to conceal it. Too bad for him; they had been on more missions and spent endless hours together since rescuing each other from the Finalizer, and Finn could read his friend easily. Although that wasn’t much of a comfort now, as whatever rattled Poe, usually scared Finn as well.

Despite the heavy worries descending on them both, Finn was relieved to see the Resistance base nestled within the trees and greenery. They had called Kashyyyk home for over two years, something that was unheard of in the history of both the Resistance and the Rebellion. Of course, the threat of being discovered was always at the back of everyone’s minds, but it had waned over the past months. There hadn’t been an attack from the First Order in a long time, which was both comforting and disturbing. Finn believed they were only biding their time, and pooling their resources. Whatever came next from the despicable Order, it would likely cost a lot of good people their lives. 

There had been an ongoing debate about whether or not to move the base around regularly. It seemed to Finn that the Resistance had been split almost down the middle. Half of the members were content to stay and build up their forces, whereas the other half argued that the First Order more than likely already knew where they were, but were drawing them into a false sense of security. Finn was torn between both sides, although he leant more towards staying. Having a home was something that he had been deprived of for most of his life, and he had grown attached to Kashyyyk. He had also raised the argument with a few troops that the Order wasn’t going to sit back and let them prepare if they knew exactly where they were. It just wasn’t their style.

As Poe brought the ship down on one of the few landing platforms, Finn reminded himself of why they had returned, and readied himself for what lay ahead. Leia had sounded concerned during her secure message to them, which had both men on edge. As curious as Finn was, he found himself wondering if he truly wanted to know what had the General so anxious.

Upon exiting the fighter, they were greeted by a small landing crew. One member pulled them aside, and informed them that Leia was waiting for them in the main meeting room. 

“So much for a little down-time.” Poe smirked at Finn, who chuckled softly. As frustrated as they had both been in having to abandon their mission, they had been looking forward to using a clean refresher for the first time in weeks. Instead of heading to their quarters as they had hoped, Poe and Finn marched towards the control centre, putting duty above their own desires. 

When they reached the meeting room, they discovered that Leia was not the only one waiting for them. Luke Skywalker stood beside her, and the twins were engaged in a quiet conversation that ended abruptly upon their entrance. 

Finn had once held great respect for the renowned Jedi Master. But since that day two years ago, the day Rey had left, he had felt it grow smaller each day. Finn simply couldn’t shake the feeling that Luke had had something to do with Rey’s disappearance, and that he was covering up something that he had either said or done. At the thought of Rey, Finn felt a sharp pull in his chest. He missed his friend desperately, and despite whispered that had circulated when she disappeared, he had never felt unsafe or cautious around her. She was just Rey, his first true friend. Even Poe, who Finn knew had begun to distrust Rey, had expressed sorrow at her vanishing. They had discussed numerous possibilities many times, but Finn had never brought up his doubts about Luke. After all, there was no need for infighting based on some hunch of Finn’s. He needed more information first.

Leia brought Finn back to himself as she cleared her throat and stepped forward.

“Thank you both for coming.”

“Of course General.” Poe’s voice sounded strained. “Although I have to admit it was frustrating to leave Ukio. We were just beginning to work out why the First Order had men stationed there.”

“I understand, Poe. And I apologise.” Leia moved towards the round table, and began pressing the control buttons. “But I thought you both needed to see this, in person.”

Despite Leia addressing both men, her gaze was fixed mostly on Finn. He felt himself swallow involuntarily, and wracked his brain for anything that he might have done wrong. He couldn’t think of any reason Leia would want to show him something more than Poe. Surely anything she had to say or show would affect them both equally, he reasoned.

He was wrong.

“Kylo Ren has been spotted with a new Apprentice.” Leia’s voice was cold. She hadn’t referred to her son as anything other than his alter-ego in a long time, but Finn knew how much the thought of Ren still affected her, and how Leia still partially blamed herself for how his life had turned out, despite what she claimed. Finn on the other hand had no sympathy for the psychopath. Ren had murdered Han Solo. He had almost murdered Finn and he had kidnapped Rey. Kylo Ren was nothing other than a cold-blooded monster, as was anyone that joined him.

“Do we know anything about them?” Poe asked, curious. He stepped forward and joined Leia around the table, and Finn followed his lead. He noticed that Luke stayed back, hiding slightly in the shadows of the room.

“Yes, I’m afraid we do.” Leia sounded so broken, and Finn felt something pull at his chest. It was almost as if his heart knew what was about to come, but his brain was still catching up. Leia finished with the control panel, and a hologram appeared above the table.

It was a dark video, and it took Finn a few seconds to work out what he was seeing. It appeared to be an alleyway in a grimy, possibly outer-rim planet. Someone was stalking through the path, with people Finn assumed to be locals scrambling to get out of the way. There was no mistaking the foreboding figure. It was Kylo Ren. He appeared to quickly find the person he was looking for, as he stopped and dragged a young man out from where he had been cowered beside a wall. The man screamed and pleaded, but Ren shoved him to the floor. Finn watched in horror as Ren ignited his lightsaber. He knew what was about to happen, and almost turned away as fear snaked its way up his spine. 

Suddenly, before Ren could even lift the blade, someone stepped out of the darkness behind him. Their face was obscured by a low-hanging hood, and they were dressed in black and red robes. Finn noted the brief glint of a lightsaber hilt gleaming from their waist as the person moved towards Ren. They stopped in between Ren and the man on the floor, acting as a barrier. Finn couldn’t think beyond his confusion. This was clearly a piece of First Order propaganda; he had been forced to view too much of it in his life to not see that immediately. But this was unlike anything he had ever seen. This had to be Ren’s new Apprentice, but why where they stopping him from completing his mission? Before Finn could think too much on that, the Apprentice spoke, and Finn felt his heart freeze in his chest.

“Stop, Master Ren.” The voice was familiar, clawing at Finn through the speakers. He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. He wanted it to stop, but the Apprentice pushed through, uncaring of what Finn was feeling. “We’ve been asked to bring reform to Corellia, not terror.”

“This man is guilty of smuggling and treason.” Ren’s reply came in his usual mechanical tone, but there was a hint of something unnatural. Ren had never been good at acting in these videos, which was why he hadn’t appeared in one for a long time. Finn knew the only reason he was in this particular video was because his Apprentice was too. The Apprentice that couldn’t possibly be the person his heart was telling him it was.

“He is.” The masked Apprentice agreed. “And he deserves to serve out a sentence, like any other petty criminal. He does not deserve public execution.”

Ren paused for a moment. Finn felt his skin crawl; he knew if this was reality, the Apprentice would be walked over and the young man would be dead within an instant. There would be no mercy. But this was the First Order’s view on reality, thus it was skewed to the point of almost absurdity, and Ren allowed for the man to be taken away by Stormtroopers. He and his Apprentice then took one last look around, before retreating. The video ended, and the hologram flickered out.

Silence permeated the room, with no one daring to speak. Finn doubted whether he could speak even if he wanted to. In fact, all he wanted to do right now was find somewhere private to throw up. His entire body felt slimy, like he had just been crawling through miles of mud and grime. He glanced towards Poe, to see him looking like Finn felt. Poe’s brow was knitted, and his complexion looked a tad more green than normal. Looking at the twins, Finn noticed they were appraising their reactions, and waiting to hear what they had to say.

“It can’t be.” That was all Finn could muster. Leia sighed, and turned away, but Luke continued staring at him. 

“We’ve analysed the voice, Finn.” Leia sounded defeated. “It matches our records of her.”

The room began to spin as Finn felt his head become lighter. His vision was blurring, but he could do nothing to stop it. All Finn could do was repeat the same word, over and over in his mind. No.

She couldn’t. She wouldn’t go over to the First Order. After everything they had been through, after Ren had murdered Han in front of them. After Hux had led the First Order right to their base, resulting in their immediate move and a few casualties. There must be something deeper at play, Finn tried to reason. Either it wasn’t her, and the First Order was trying to scare them with an immaculate decoy, or she had been threatened, or blackmailed, or any number of things in order to ensure her cooperation. 

Finn heard a distant bang, and it took him a few moments to realise that it had been his own fist slamming on the table in front of him. He leant forward and placed his other fist on the table as well to provide some balance, and some semblance of reality to which he could cling. Nothing seemed real. His heart and mind were at odds, both screaming at him to believe something different. He didn't know what to think. He didn’t know what to do. Finn simply settled for trying desperately to focus himself, and bring himself back to the present.

After taking a few steadying breaths, Finn looked over at Poe. His face was now completely pale, and there was a mixture of terror and hurt written all over his face. Finn knew the feeling. He supposed Poe was torn between his two halves. The first was the Resistance pilot, which would be telling him how screwed they were now that their one Force user was up against three. The second was the man who had just felt the loss and betrayal of someone who he had once considered a dear friend. Finn had to look away.

His gaze settled on the twins. Leia’s eyes were full of pity as she stared at them, watching them go through all the emotions Finn knew she must have felt when she first saw the video. Luke, on the other hand, had an unreadable expression on his face. Finn had to peculiar feeling that he was studying them, almost like he was preparing for one of them to turn as well. It wasn’t a completely unnatural response, Finn supposed, but he was still hurt by it. 

Finally, the silence was brought to an end as Poe spoke, his voice cracked.

“What do we do?”

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s anything we can do.” Leia responded softly. “Except continue to proceed with caution. Our first move has to be relocation. Rey knows where our base is, and if she hasn’t already told Snoke, she will eventually.”

Finn felt a pang in his chest. Kashyyyk had become their home, their centre. What they had built here was unlike anything the Resistance had done before, or even the Rebellion before them. To have a home base was to have an advantage, and now it was going to be taken from them, again. It was going to be even worse this time, since they had finally allowed themselves to settle. Everyone was going to be on edge.

“I’ll start spreading the word. It’ll get around fast.” Poe was clearly trying to keep his voice as even as he could, but Finn could still hear the frustration. The poor man had been through too many upheavals in his life.

“I agree.” Leia said. Finn noted the she couldn’t even look at him anymore. “We’ll make a start here before informing those currently out on missions.”

Finn’s head was spinning. How could they both move on so quickly? Of course, he knew they were compartmentalising, and that immediate evacuation was essential, but they had just witnessed their friend working beside Kylo Ren. That wasn’t the kind of thing people could just breeze past.

“Do we have any idea where we should-”

“I’m sorry.” Finn interjected, cutting Poe off. In turn, Poe glanced at him, confused, but Finn pressed on. “But Rey is working for the First Order, for Snoke. How can you all accept that so fast?”

Finn’s eyes darted between the three people in front of him. None of them appeared to have the reaction he had anticipated, which was at least some form of sadness. Instead, they all seemed … guilty? It suddenly hit Finn why he had been the only one to have such a strong reaction to the revelation. 

“You knew.” There was a stiff silence, and Finn felt anger bubbling in his chest. “You all knew!”

“We didn’t know.” Poe correctly swiftly. Finn wanted to scoff at the pity he could hear in Poe’s voice. “We suspected.”

On ‘we’, Poe glanced quickly at Luke. If Finn hadn’t been paying attention, he would have missed it. He was about to turn on Luke, when the man in question spoke.

“I suspected, you mean.” The old Jedi Master turned to Finn, his expression unreadable. “The Dark Side had been calling to Rey for a long time, I felt it. But I thought I could intervene, somehow, and bring her back. By the time I realised it had consumed her, it was too late.”

Finn balled his hands into fists to try and stop them from shaking. It took all his self control to remain where he was, when all he wanted to do was grab Skywalker’s robes and shake him until his sense returned. Rey hadn’t turned before she left. He knew that. And from the way Skywalker refused to meet his gaze, Finn realised he knew that as well. 

“It wasn’t too late.” Finn spat. His anger rose, as did his voice. “You could have told me, and I would’ve talked to her. That’s all we needed to do!”

“That’s unfair, Finn.” Leia tried to reason with him, but Finn could barely hear over the rushing sound of blood in his ears.

“No it’s not, and you know that General.” Finn pointed at Luke. “He pushed my best friend from me, from her home. All because he couldn’t be bothered to try simply talking to her! Did you ever consider that maybe she turned from you because you turned from her first?”

Luke didn’t respond, and Finn knew it was because he saw the truth in Finn’s words. Finn looked towards Poe, who was staring firmly at the ground, guilt still written all over his face. He then turned towards Leia. The General looked like she was going to be sick. If Finn hadn’t been as furious as he was, he would have felt sorry for her. 

Scoffing, Finn began moving to the door. He knew he wasn’t going to get any more from any of them. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to hear more. Finn stormed out into the corridor, leaving Luke, Leia, and Poe to stir in their own mistakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed that little insight into the Resistance! I hope it wasn't too disppointing - Finn is a very hard character to write for me. I tried my best, but please let me know if you spot any glaring errors. And don't worry, we shall get back to our favourite two in the next chapter ;) All the best!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reunion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, sorry for the delay but life has been crazy busy. Hope the length of this chapter makes up for it!

Standing on the edge of the platform, wind whipping at his overcoat, Admiral Hux shook his head, attempting to banish the memories clawing at his mind. For the past day, he could think of nothing except the last moments he spent with Rey, flying back to the Finalizer. He thought back to the moment that seemed so long ago, but somehow was only yesterday, that the message had appeared on his private viewscreen.

_Lady Rey will be arriving tomorrow to assess the facilities. She will remain for as long as she deems necessary._

It wasn’t signed, but Hux knew it didn’t matter. He also didn’t care. All he could do was sit in shock, trying to pick his jaw up from where it had fallen. Eventually he came back to himself, and sent a quick confirmatory reply. After that, he had found he could not still sit any longer. Abandoning the report he had been writing, Hux had jumped up and exited his office. He barely paid attention to where he walked. His brain was a whirlwind of excitement, panic, and confusion. 

Two years. That’s how long it had been since he had last seen Rey. Two years since they flew back from Dantooine. Two years since they had been greeted by Kylo Ren and Snoke himself. Two years since they had whisked Rey away without giving him a second glance. Without letting either of them say goodbye.

It tore Hux apart to not know where Rey was. He had no idea if she was even still alive, or if she was still on board with their plan to overthrow the Supreme Leader. After a week of nothing, Rey had reached out to him using the Force. For the first time in what felt like years, Rey shared his head once again. But this time, she wasn’t a passive presence. Rather, she spoke to him, and he to her. Hux was impressed at how quickly her powers were developing. She told him that she was being trained, and not to worry. He claimed that he wasn’t, but Rey simply laughed, seeing right through him in the way it seemed only she could. 

Unfortunately, their correspondence had been cut short, and Rey hadn’t attempted to make contact after that. Hux dreaded to think about what Snoke and Ren were putting her through. All his worries about her not staying loyal to him and their plan were replaced by worries that she might not survive at all. Then where would he be?

It had taken a few months, but eventually Hux was able to resume a normal routine, and go over twenty-four hours without thinking about the former scavenger once. He was rather impressed with himself. From then, he simply went about his life and duties as normal, trying his best to ignore any whispers of Ren’s new Apprentice that had begun circulating. What he did hear was almost laughable. The rumours ranged anywhere between Rey being a figment of Ren’s imagination, to her being a one-thousand year old being, capable of destroying a planet with nothing more than a click of her fingers. 

There appeared to be only one thing that most people that engaged in these rumours truly believed. That no matter what or who she was, Ren’s Apprentice could not possibly be a former Resistance leader turned First Order believer. 

Hux despised that inaccuracy. Snoke and Ren had managed to completely hide his achievement in turning Rey and bringing her over to their side. There had been no praise, no thanks, no anything. Not that Hux was fantasizing about a parade, but a simple thank you would have sufficed. Although, Hux had mused, Snoke and Ren leaving him to his own devices for the longest time since they had met should probably have been thanks enough.

As hard as Hux had tried to ignore any conversation surrounding Rey, the whispers had become louder as the months went by. When a year had passed since their rendezvous on Dantooine, they were on the verge of being screams. Everywhere he went on his Finalizer, everyone seemed to be discussing Lady Rey. It wasn’t until Phasma had sent him a vid-feed of a recent First Order mission that Hux finally understood what had changed.

The video was of Kylo Ren leading a mission on some dark, dirty outer-rim planet. It was purely propaganda, Hux had realised immediately. He had organised enough of it himself during his career to notice the telltale signs of promotion and praise. It was simple enough; Ren was weeding out disgusting, law-defying locals, showing how much good the First Order was trying to achieve. He had just dragged out a youth from where he had been hiding, when something unexpected happened. A young woman stepped forward from the shadows. Her face was obscured by a dark hood, but when she spoke, Hux’s heart leapt into his throat. He could barely concentrate on what she was saying - something about bringing reform, not terror - as he was focusing too intently on her voice. It was Rey.

Hux had found himself watching the video again and again, convincing himself that he wasn’t going insane. It was her, it had to be. Despite not hearing her voice in so long, Hux hadn’t forgotten. He had spent the rest of the day thinking about what this could mean. It was clearly a show, designed to be spread to planets that still hadn’t been subdued by the Order. But why include Rey? Was she finally finished her training? Could it be that they were soon to be reunited?

Hux had paused at that thought. He realised he had to consider the possibility that Rey had turned against him. That she had agreed to this propaganda of her own free will. That she was now Snoke’s puppet, just as Ren was. Hux remembered a shiver running up his spine at that. He was suddenly confronted with the idea that he would be more alone than he had before, since tasting an alliance and having it ripped away was far worse than never having one at all. It was also possible, if Rey had turned, that she would tell Snoke of their plans to bring him down. There would be no escape for Hux if that happened.

Strangely, despite the video, nothing seemed to change for a few months. Things continued on as normal, and there was still no word from any of the three Force users. Then one day, Hux began receiving reports of more Order missions than ever before. Both Ren and Rey’s names were listed among those involved. Hux took this to mean that Rey had indeed finished her training. But if that were true, why had there been no word from her? Surely she could have reached out in some shape or form?

Before Hux could think on those dark thoughts for too long, he was suddenly shoved into the position of Admiral. The promotion came through Snoke himself, as he used a hologram to appear in Hux’s office on the Finalizer. It was a quick, one-sided conversation, and Snoke made it very clear what was to happen if Hux was to take a step backwards. There were to be no second chances. The newly-made Admiral only managed to get one question out during the short interaction. He almost didn’t want to know the answer.

“Why now, Supreme Leader?”

There had been a pause, and Hux could tell Snoke was debating whether or not to dignify him with an answer. Eventually, he must have decided there was no harm to it.

“You brought her to me.”

Snoke’s projection had quickly disappeared, and Hux had practically collapsed into his chair. He couldn’t begin to comprehend the promotion. It was the next step in his plan, but for some reason, he didn’t think himself ready. It wasn’t until he received his reassignment to his current base on Scarif the next day that he realised what was unsettling him. Rey still wasn’t with him. Their plan to bring Snoke and Ren down was well on its way, with Rey having completed her training and Hux having received a lucrative step up. But they weren’t together, and they hadn’t communicated in about a year and a half. The plan couldn’t proceed without her. Hux knew it, and almost despised how dependent he was on her. But there was no alternative; if Rey had turned, or if she would no longer help him, there was no point. As much as he could try to delude himself, Hux could never beat Snoke and Ren alone. 

As Hux busied himself with his new role and assignment, he had tried to push all thoughts of Rey out of his mind. He almost succeeded; that is, until the day that fateful message had appeared. Finally, she was going to be by his side again. But whether it was simply physical, or if she was still ready to continue with their plan, well, he was going to find out soon enough.

Pulling himself from his memories, Hux returned to scanning the skies for any sign of Rey’s ship approaching. She was late, and Hux didn’t know how to interpret that fact. It could be a genuine lateness, or it could be Rey making a statement. Rey could be letting everyone, including Hux, know that she was above him and his station. Hux desperately hoped that there was a genuine reason for her to be late.

Glancing around, Hux took in the troops he had ordered to be part of the welcoming party. If he could have, Hux would have ensured that he was the sole person on the platform, giving him a chance to be alone with Rey, even for a moment. He needed to ascertain her state of mind, and quickly. If she had turned, he wanted to be sure immediately, so he could determine if it was possible to bring her back onto his side. If she was still on his side, then they could begin devising a plan to overthrow Snoke and Ren.

Hux knew his musings were simply a distraction from the nerves he could feel building in his stomach. He had to settle them before Rey arrived, or else he ran the risk of making a fool of himself in front of his men. He knew that Rey being sent here was a test for both of them. Snoke understood how close they had been, and Hux believed that Snoke saw their alliance as a threat. Separating them for two years, only to then shove Rey back into his life with almost no warning was his sick way of making sure they knew their place. Hux meant nothing to him, and Hux had to assume Rey meant nothing to him as well, apart from being a valuable piece in the war against the Resistance. If they made one misstep, it could mean the end for both of them.

Returning his gaze to the clear blue skies, Hux was relieved to finally see a small black spot above the base. It grew with each passing second, as did Hux’s heart rate. After a few moments, the pilot brought it down gracefully and lowered the landing ramp. Hux stepped forward, ready.

The seconds passed in what seemed like an agonisingly slow manner. Hux was surprised that no one had exited the ship as yet. Where was the crew? The pilot? Rey’s security? Suddenly, a sole hooded figure appeared at the top of the ramp.

It was her. She might have been wearing long black and red robes, with a hood obscuring the top half of her face, but Hux knew it was Rey. The way she walked was the same. Her stature was different however; she seemed to hold herself taller. She also appeared more confident, striding down the ramp towards him without a second of hesitation. Hux pulled himself together and marched forward to greet her. 

They stopped only a few paces apart, yet it felt like miles. Hux cleared his throat.

“Welcome to Scarif, Lady Rey.”

Rey said nothing for a few moments. From what he could see of her lower face, Hux didn’t think that her facial expression had changed from its passive state. He wished she would remove her hood; it was terribly difficult to determine her mood. Although he had dealt with Kylo Ren and his childish mask for years, that man was always wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Rey, however, seemed to control herself much easier. It would be a valuable skill if she was still working on their plan, but a disastrous one if she wasn’t. She could lie right to his face while reporting his every word and move back to Snoke, and Hux would be none the wiser.

Unfortunately, Hux did not get his wish as Rey made no move to push her hood back.

“Thank you, Admiral Hux.” Rey’s tone was clipped, and her voice was a monotone drag. Hux felt a stabbing in his chest. It sounded like Rey would rather be anywhere but here. “Shall we?”

Without waiting for him, Rey moved past Hux and began making her way to the doors of the base. She didn’t seem perturbed by the sand clinging to her dark boots, or the ocean wind pulling at her robes. Rey moved with a purpose, and Hux rushed to catch up. Fortunately, his men did not appear to notice, and with a flick of his wrist, he dismissed them. They all immediately saluted, before turning and removing themselves to continue with their daily tasks. 

Hux reached Rey’s side, and together they entered Hux’s base. 

The cool air being propelled from the vents around the corridor was a welcome change from the heat outside. Scarif was a beautiful planet, but it never seemed to get cold, even at night. Sunshine and warmth was the permanent weather status, and after several months here Hux had found himself missing the cold, and attempted to stay inside as much as possible. Hux glanced down at Rey, still walking beside him. She did not seem affected by the heat, or the sudden change cooler air brought once inside the base. In fact, she did not seem affected by anything at all. There was an air about her, one that was screaming that she could not wait to be gone from this place. 

Hux felt a twinge in his chest. It was looking more and more certain that Rey had turned, and now served Snoke and Ren exclusively. Hux forced himself to push those thoughts aside. It could all still be an act, he tried to convince himself. Although, if it was, then Rey was a far better actor than he ever gave her credit for.

The silence between them was slowly getting to the Admiral. He was leading them towards the main tower, where the main tour would begin, but Hux knew if they arrived there without him having determined Rey’s loyalty, he likely would not be given another chance. He cleared his throat.

“My apologies for not greeting you with a larger landing party, Lady Rey. Most of my men are away on Ukio. There has been a small uprising there that I have sent them to deal with.” Hux glanced down to see Rey staring straight ahead. He could not tell if she had been listening to a word he had said. After a few moments, however, Rey responded.

“It was adequate.” Rey’s voice was dull and her tone spoke of indifference, sinking Hux’s heart further. She was almost a completely different person than the capable, strong, and almost hot-headed young woman he had met all those years ago. Now, Rey was more passive, and yet there was a power emanating from her that definitely was not there before. She appeared bored by him, the base, and her mission. It was such a jarring change that Hux found himself at a loss for words. He wanted to continue the conversation, but he could not. 

Unfortunately, as he tried to comb through possible conversation topics that would assist in getting Rey to utter more than a few words at a time, Ren’s Apprentice suddenly stopped moving. Before Hux had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Rey had used a combination of the Force and her own strength to shove him through an open utility door. It was all Hux could do to stay on his feet as he slammed into the opposite wall. He tried to steady his labored breathing as he watched Rey stalk into the utility room, slamming the door behind her.

Of course, Hux realised. This wasn’t a routine base check. Somehow, Snoke had discovered the alliance between Rey and Hux, and had sent Rey to eliminate him as a test of her loyalty. She would either kill him, or their connection would be obvious and Snoke would kill them both. From the way Rey paced steadily towards him, Hux knew which path she had chosen. Reaching out, Hux grabbed a metal shelf and tipped it towards Rey. It didn’t make contact, but it forced Rey to stop and throw out a hand to shield herself using the Force. 

This gave Hux a brief moment to assess his situation. He couldn’t beat Rey if she managed to unclip her lightsaber from her belt. In fact, there was almost no way he could beat Rey altogether. But that didn’t mean he planned to go out without some sort of fight. While Rey pushed the shelf away from her, Hux charged forward, attempting to take her by surprise. Unfortunately, the young Force user had anticipated his move, and managed to dodge his attack. Hux turned, but found himself abruptly unable to act. It was as though his limbs were frozen, held still by some unknown figure. This would have been his initial thought, if Kylo Ren hadn’t used this exact move on him several times before. Hux knew Rey was holding him in place, and he felt a shiver run up his spine as he watched her take a few steps forward, and stop just in front of him.

Hux winced involuntarily as Rey stretched out her hand. He waited for the inevitable grip on his throat, but strangely, it never came. Instead, Rey brought her right hand to his cheek as her left reached up to push her hood back. 

There were a few more lines on her face, and a small scar that stretched over her left eye. Her features were harder than they were before, but there was still the twinkle in her eyes that Hux remembered. It seemed to grow with each passing second.

“You’ve gotten old.” Rey whispered, her hand still on his cheek. Hux felt his head flood with confusion. Was this a trick? Was she simply toying with him whilst deciding on the most gruesome and humiliating way in which to end his life? As much as his anxiety attempted to convince him of the worst, there was something that told him that he was safe. Between the twinkle in Rey’s warm eyes, to the soft hand now gently caressing his cheek, Hux found himself slowly being put at ease. 

“Rey?” Hux murmured in response. 

A large grin stretched across Rey’s face.

“That’s Lady Rey to you.” 

Two things happened then. The first was Rey dropping her control over Hux’s body, so that he could move freely again. The second, was Rey closing the distance between them, and wrapping her arms around him. Hux didn’t know what shocked him more. The fact that he was alive, the fact that Rey was still on his side, or the fact that Rey was hugging him.

His confusion was replaced by relief, and he found himself hugging Rey back. He felt a large grin spread across his face. Rey was finally here, with him. She hadn’t turned, she wasn’t Snoke’s puppet. She was still the Rey he remembered, even after two long years apart, and at last, their plan could begin.

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And our dynamic duo are together once more! Let me know your thoughts thus far, and again my sincerest apologies in the delay. I want to say that I'll be able to have a regular schedule from now on, but unfortunately that's not the case. Hope you stick with the story, and are enjoying it so far! All my love xo


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Hux are still suspicious of each other, but Rey knows there has to be trust between them for their plan to succeed.

Rey took a deep breath as Armitage maneuvered the ship towards the Finalizer’s docking bay. She knew her life was about to take a drastic turn, and she hoped she was ready for it. Not wanting to think about what was waiting for them, Rey tried to clear her mind and enjoy her last few quiet moments. Rey shifted uncomfortably in the navigator’s seat, suddenly wishing she had asked Armitage if she could pilot the ship, just so she would have something to do with her hands. 

She glanced at Armitage, who was sitting next to her, in the pilot’s seat. They had decided that once on board, Armitage would contact Snoke and alert him of their arrival. Armitage had guessed that he wouldn’t have even ended the communication before Kylo Ren found out, so there was no need to contact him directly.

Thinking about Snoke, and Ren in particular, sent a shiver up Rey’s spine. She thought she had hidden it well, but Armitage was as sharp-eyed as ever as he looked over to her.

“Nervous?” He questioned softly.

Despite how much she wanted to appear strong, Rey didn’t see the point in lying to him. “Yeah.”

Armitage turned his gaze fully towards her. “You’ll be alright Rey, I promise.”

It was a hollow promise, and they both knew it. There was no possible way that he could guarantee her safety, not when Snoke and Ren were so unpredictable. Not when she was about to be tested in ways that neither of them could even imagine. But Rey appreciated the support nonetheless, so she smiled slightly.

“Thank you, Armitage.”

“You’re welcome, Rey.”

Warning lights began to flash on the control panel as they flew dangerously close to a patrolling Tie Fighter. Armitage quickly corrected their course, and the lights dimmed. Rey let out a breath she didn’t even realise she had been holding.

“I definitely should have asked to fly us back.” Rey teased, smirking towards Armitage. She saw the corners of his mouth twitch up, before he caught himself. He turned to her, and Rey might have been worried if not for the humour dancing in his eyes.

“If you had, the proximity sensors certainly would have had a much busier flight.”

Rey’s smirk shifted into a large grin, and she was about to counter Armitage’s cheap shot with one of her own, when she realised they were about to enter the hanger. Armitage followed her gaze, and Rey saw his grip tighten on the controls. This was it.

It seemed to Rey there was an abnormally large amount of personnel working in the hanger. She knew the Finalizer wasn’t a small ship, but it seemed like everyone on the entire vessel was crammed into the space. She leaned forward to survey the crowd, and her heart stopped. In the middle of the chaos stood two lone figures, one clad in black, the other in shining gold. She didn’t have to think too hard to work out who they were. 

“Armitage-” Rey started, but he cut her off.

“I see them.” Armitage’s voice was strained, and Rey almost leant over to grasp his hand. She stopped herself quickly. 

“How did they know you had picked me up?” It wasn’t a good sign that their mission had barely gotten underway before it was completely thrown off. Snoke and Ren weren’t supposed to be here, Rey thought rapidly. They were meant to take their time in picking her up, giving Rey and Armitage a few precious moments of peace. Who could have told them she was on board the ship?

“They didn’t.” Armitage growled, and Rey was surprised at the anger on his face. “They knew that either I would come back with you, or I would have failed. If the first was true, they could snatch you up, and tear us apart quicker than we anticipated. If the second was true, they would have executed me in front of my men.”

Rey felt her blood run cold. Snoke and Ren weren’t here because they had any sort of faith in Armitage. Rather, they were probably excited at the prospect of eliminating him in such an open and public manner. And these are the men you’ve agreed to train with, to help, Rey thought, before she quickly corrected herself. These are the men you’ve agreed to help overthrow, to stop from hurting anyone else. Rey’s resolve came back in a rush, and suddenly she couldn’t wait to storm out onto the platform and get the mission underway.

Armitage finally lowered their ship, setting it near the two Force users without getting too close. Rey noticed his hesitation before he cut off the engines, and wished she could calm him somehow. But there was no time. Barely a second passed before loud bangs sounded on the outside of the landing ramp. Snoke’s men were letting them know the weren’t in the mood to be played with or stalled.

Together, Rey and Armitage rose, both silent. They took one last look at each other, and Rey could see her conviction reflected in his eyes. There was a moment that passed between them, a connection that told both Rey and Armitage that they were on the same page. They weren’t alone, and no matter what awaited them once left the safe confines of the ship, they would stick to the mission. Armitage reached down and pressed the release for the ramp.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rey collapsed onto the bed in her temporary quarters. It had been a long day, and her feet were starting to ache. After their brief rendezvous in the utility closet, Armitage had shown her all around his base on Scarif. It wasn’t the most interesting of places, but Rey took all of it in, while projecting an air of boredom for Armitage’s troops. She had to keep up the persona of Ren’s Apprentice, the woman who thought herself above the newly-promoted Admiral Hux, and everyone else below her rank. It was essential, but exhausting, as Rey wanted nothing more than to sit with Armitage and catch up after their two years of separation.

Two years. Rey squeezed her eyes shut. She had changed so much in that time, and knew that Armitage must have as well. She hadn’t quite ascertained just how much was different about him, but there would be time for that. There was certainly more grey at his temples than there had been before. It blended with his orange strands so well that Rey thought most people probably hadn’t noticed. But it was there. 

There was also the fact that Armitage had hugged her back. Rey knew there was no chance he would have done so two years ago. Although, she mused, she hadn’t planned on hugging him. But she had been so relieved to see him again, and she had wanted to show him that she was still the same Rey he had known. She hadn’t thought, she had simply done, and suddenly he was holding her, and the world seemed to stop.

Rey pressed her hands firmly against her face. They couldn’t afford to be so affectionate with each other from now on, something she assumed Armitage was telling himself as well. Every action, every word, would be scrutinised. Rey was sure Snoke had ordered men to keep a close eye on them, and to report back anything unusual. They would have to be extremely careful when around others, but at least she could now project her mind into his without worrying about Snoke finding out. It was possible he would, but Rey didn’t think so. She hadn’t reached out since the beginning of her training, and with how badly that had ended, surely Snoke would expect her to have learnt her lesson.

Bolting upright, Rey shook her head. No, she thought, you’re not thinking about that. It took all her strength to shove the dark memories from her mind, to lock them back in their box where she had put them so long ago. The training she had received had almost broken her then. Rey refused to let the memories break her now. She stood, knowing she wasn’t going to get any rest with her mind as turbulent as it was. She settled for a brisk trip around the base to clear her thoughts.

As she walked, Rey thought over the tour Armitage had given her. He had been putting on a show, just as she had, but Rey could hear the underlying pride in his voice as he spoke about his base. He had gone from overseeing the Finalizer to coordinating and managing an entire base that stretched for miles upon miles. Rey had been surprised to learn that the foundations were once part of an old Empire structure that had been partially destroyed by the original Death Star. At first, she didn’t understand why the First Order would want to build upon what many would consider a failure, but Armitage had explained how much there was much to be learned from Scarif’s past. 

At the thought of Armitage, a small smile crept onto Rey’s face. She knew that his promotion had been propelled by him bringing her into the Order’s ranks, and while she still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about that, she was proud of the work he had done since receiving it. It also didn’t hurt that they were now both in much better positions to proceed with their plan than they had been two years ago. Since she had spent so much time around Snoke and Ren, Rey had some developed some ideas about the plan, ones she wasn’t sure Armitage was going to agree with. But she knew she could convince him. Or rather, she knew she would have to.

Rounding a corner, Rey stopped. At the end of the corridor was a set of doors that seemed to lead out onto some sort of balcony. Intrigued, Rey moved towards them, and was relieved when they opened. She was right, it was a balcony, and the view it provided was second to none. Endless waves stretched out before her, with beautiful reflections of the stars in the clear sky above. Although she knew there was still personnel working around the base, even at this late hour, everything seemed quiet and still. Rey rested against the ledge. She closed her eyes, and let herself simply breathe.

“You know, this is the only place on this entire planet where I can usually be alone.”

Rey smiled, her eyes still closed. Of course he would be here.

“If that were true, then why did the doors open automatically?” Rey questioned.

“They didn’t.” Armitage replied. “I saw you coming, and opened them for you.”

Turning, Rey finally opened her eyes to see Armitage leaning against the wall just to the side of the now closed doors. He looked like he had been there for some time. But contrary to his words, the Admiral didn’t seem annoyed at her. Rather, there was a glint of humour in his eyes as he gazed at her.

“Thank you.” Rey spoke softly, and Armitage nodded. He then pushed off from the wall, and strode forward until he stood next to her at the ledge. Rey turned and continued to take in the beauty of Scarif, as they both seemed content in their silence.

After a few moments of basking in the warm night air, Armitage spoke.

“You know, I thought you were going to kill me this morning.” He turned towards her. His voice was soft but Rey could hear the strength behind it. “Why did you feel the need to shove me in that closet?”

Rey was about to laugh at the memory, but stopped as she noticed the flicker of distrust in Armitage’s eyes. He was genuinely questioning her loyalty, and perhaps her sanity as well. Although it stung slightly, Rey couldn’t bring herself to blame him. After all, hadn’t she been just as suspicious about how much he had changed, and what he had been up to during their two years apart?

“I thought it would be too suspicious for us to enter unprompted, or if I stopped to politely ask you to show me an ordinary utility closet.” Rey kept her voice steady. “I’m sorry, Armitage. I had to keep up the illusion that I hate you.”

“I understand.” From his tone, Rey could tell that Armitage was lying. She grimaced, and wondered if this constant tiptoeing around each other was going to become a permanent part of their relationship. She wanted Armitage to trust her again, but at the same time, she knew in her heart she didn’t exactly trust him either. It was almost as if they had become strangers again, and it hurt Rey to realise that despite them being on the same team, they weren’t fighting on the same side just yet. She knew they needed to clear the air if their plan was to succeed, and it didn’t appear as though Armitage was going to take the leap. It was up to her to mend the gap that had grown between them.

Rey turned so that she was facing Armitage straight on. She took in his appearance, and the way he held himself. It was similar to the way he had stood before, except now there was a guarded look to his shoulders. They were so stiff that Rey could almost see the tension in his muscles as Armitage fought to continue staring out at the water rather than shift his gaze to her. Knowing it could backfire, Rey hesitated before reaching out and resting her hand on Armitage’s forearm. She felt his muscles tense beneath her hand, but didn’t remove it.

“I won’t pretend to know what you’ve gone through these past two years,” Rey began, “but I can see you’re not the same man I knew when I left, just as I think you can tell that I’ve changed too.”

Armitage had finally turned to look at her, and Rey could see apprehension in his eyes. He was clearly curious as to where this conversation was headed, but at the same time wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear what she had to say. Rey pressed on, regardless.

“But I need you to know that I’m still me. I still believe in our mission, and I want more than ever to take Snoke and Ren down with you.” Rey’s heart was pounding, wondering if her blunt honesty was going to end up being her downfall. For all she knew, Armitage could take what she had said directly to Snoke, and have her executed for her treachery. Although, she mused, Armitage was probably thinking along the same lines, fearing that every word she said was a lie in order to test his loyalty. But from the way she felt Armitage relax his arm under her grasp, she knew in her heart that he was relieved to hear that she was still on board.

“How can I trust you? You’ve been under Snoke’s thumb for two years, Rey.” Armitage’s voice was soft, and Rey could tell there was a war going on in his brain. One half desperately wanting to trust Rey, and the other completely skeptical in regards to her intentions. Rey settled on complete honesty.

“You can’t, Armitage.” Rey took her hand away from his arm, noting how Armitage’s face fell for a split second before resuming a neutral expression. “Not if we continue to dance around each other. I trust you, and if our plan is going to work, I need you to trust me.”

Armitage turned away for a moment, looking out at the ocean once more. It almost seemed as though he was begging the stars for answers, for guidance. As though he wanted them to reach out and shake him awake, and yell at him for wanting to trust Rey when he knew he so clearly shouldn’t. A few moments passed, and Rey felt doubt crawling up her spine. If Armitage pulled away now, there would be no way forward for them. Armitage then turned back toward her, determination plastered on his face.

“I trust you, Rey.”

Rey felt her whole body almost sag with relief. She grinned as hope bubbled in her chest. They were both still on the same page.

“Thank you.” Rey’s voice was flooded with genuine gratitude and relief. She knew the decision to trust her was not an easy one, and that Armitage was probably already doubting himself. But he had made it, and she would make sure he had no reason to distrust her. She would dedicate herself to taking down the tyrants that controlled the Order with iron fists.

They continued enjoying the pleasant night for a little while longer, with Rey asking general questions about his promotion. She was surprised to hear that Phasma had been promoted to General, and was currently in command of the Finalizer. In turn, Armitage questioned her about her training, and Rey tried to keep her answers as vague as possible. There was no reason to burden Armitage with what she had endured. It was her battle to fight, alone. She knew Armitage could tell there were things she was keeping from him, especially regarding her new scar across her eye, but was thankful when he didn’t press her on anything. She would tell him eventually, she told herself.

After the conversation had wound down, Rey excused herself. The exhaustion she had felt before had returned, and she couldn’t wait to sleep. Returning to her quarters, Rey was confused when she noticed the light blinking on her comm. It was signalling that there was a message waiting for her, and Rey was apprehensive to listen to it. Deciding that there was a danger in putting it off until the morning, Rey caved and turned on the comm.

Snoke’s voice sounded from the comm, and Rey froze.

“Lady Rey, I have decided to keep you at your current post for the foreseeable future. You will continue to report daily, and keep me informed of the Admiral’s actions and intentions. Any deviance from this mission will result in your immediate … removal.”

The message ended with a click, and Rey finally remembered to breathe. She knew that removal was a thinly veiled code for execution, and her heart stopped. As much as she wanted to celebrate being allowed to stay at Armitage’s base for longer than expected, she knew that Snoke was testing her. It was all a game to him, and if Rey slipped up even slightly, there would be catastrophic consequences. She had hoped that in the last two years she had made herself indispensable to Snoke, but in her heart she knew it was a lie that she really needed to stop telling herself. Everyone was dispensable to Snoke, no matter their rank or abilities. 

If Rey wanted to see the end of the war, if she wanted to complete her mission with Armitage, she would have to toe the line very carefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow so it's been a while huh? I'm so sorry about the major delay. I thought I'd have some downtime over the summer but it just didn't happen. I went through an awkward break-up, quit my old job and started a new one, and university has been absolutely kicking my ass. Thank you to anyone still reading this; I dedicate this chapter to you!
> 
> I do want to eventually complete this story, but unfortunately I can't promise regular updates. I will get it done though, slowly but surely lol. All my love to everyone who has read even one chapter of this story and the first one. You mean more to me than you could ever know <3


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